Tony Webster and his clique first met Adrian Finn at school. Sex-hungry and book-hungry, they would navigate the girl-less sixth form together, trading in affectations, in-jokes, rumour and wit. Maybe Adrian was a little more serious than the others, certainly more intelligent, but they all swore to stay friends for life. Now Tony is in middle age. He's had a career and a single marriage, a calm divorce. He's certainly never tried to hurt anybody. Memory, though, is imperfect. It can always throw up surprises, as a lawyer's letter is about to prove...

The Sense of an Ending is the audio book version of Julian Barnes's novel. Spread over 4 CDs, this complete and unabridged reading by Richard Morant, lasts for 4 hrs and 40 mins.

The plot to this story could be written on the back of a postage stamp, but that doesn't detract from the fact that this is a well constructed tale which explores how we construct our own history and memories.

The story is told in flashback as a retired Tony looks back on his life and reevaluates things in his past... although to be fair it's not so much of a misreading of a situation as that he was totally in the dark.

The twist in the tale, while not overly surprising, is also one that in truth doesn't really affect out hero, it's just a surprise that he may, or may not, have been instrumental in having a hand in causing. Overall, an enjoyable tale.

8

Nick Smithson